Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-08-20


which { falling behind hand II manufac-
people. Stationary In her agriculture, In
creasing In the number Of her illiierate, and
criminals, paying her female school teachers
less than Is paid by the emancipated slaves Of
Alabama and South Carolina, and Is Witness
Ing the steady progress to annihilation OF her
former great special industry OF wooden
ship building"
Read this over twice dear reader, and con-
slider 1t well before you vote 20 bring such
disastrous results upon our own prosperous
Tennessee.
Maine has had prohibition for 80 years,
and Vermont has had It not quite so long,
say something over 30 years. Mr.. Edward
johnson, a well known writer In the Pop
ular Science Monthly noted magazine, In
speaking OF prohibition in Vermont says:
at Is . fact which can not be controverted,
or denied, that for all practical purposes the
law Is an absolute dead letter. and one might
go still further, and speak OF the perjury and
subornation of perjury for which the law is
IN sense responsible"
But we will leave these poor fanatic ridden
states of New England. and return to where
prosperity and freedom still reigns supreme,
amid the vine clad hills and grass green
wales of Tennessee.
And whilst here we will ask few questions
that we trust will be answered correctly by
prohibitionists.
Since we have gained such great and grand
| prosperity under the old system OF personal
freedom, and the right to eat and drink at
will; a system inherited from God, and the
constitution of our Fore Fathers, and one
that has been in vague since the creation of
man, would 1t not be best to let well enough
alone, remain as we are, and not permit the
forcing upon us Of new fanatical problem
the offspring OF New England fanaticism,
direct from the hot bed OF hatred TO all
southern people and their institutions
| II 1t is desired to stop the sale OF liquor In
cities, why not do SO by legislative enactment
as was done In the creation OF the four mile
law, and thereby avoid this sweeping prohi-
bition measure, which envolves the chang
ing Ct the constitution at great expense to the
people, In the way Of money, political and
religious discords. general agitation, and
many other evils?
| In plain terms: II the object is to abolish
saloons, as prohibition leaders claim, why
not do SO A. ,bove named?
| If the |. Aislature can prohibit the sale OF
liquors In the country, as 1t has done under
the four mile law, 1t can also in the same
manner prohibit Its sale In cities. Then why
change the constitution?
| Simply because, If the prohibition policy
proved ruinons, or injurious to the best in
terest of tn. state and the people wished to
| haa Ia ho nj
not do so. This is one answer, but the main
one is: that simple legislation upon the sub
ject would not furnish certain prohibition
leaders with the official positions that they
are working for, and expect to get If prohibit
ton succeeds.
| In conclusion, trust that the people OF
Tennessee will consider well what they do
before they sacrifice to the dictates of New
England fanaticism, one of the most sacred
principles that underlie the foundation of
our great temple OF American liberty, and
thereby destroy with 1t, both, their freedom,
and their prosperity. They shall also con-
slider well who are the leaders of this prohibit
ton movement, and then think of the
patriots and statesmen of our nation who
have ever been strictly opposed to all such
measures. Jefferson, Madison, Seymore
sam'l Tilden, Grover Cleveland, Jefferson
Davis, D. w. Voorhees,, lsham g. Harris,
| VIM. B. Bate, and many others.
Also, many of the best and purest ministers
of the gospel of all churches are strongly OPP
posed to 1t.
1t is well known, and positive historical
fact that no state, or nation controlled by q
religious fanaticism, or political priesthood
has ever prospered.
Prohibition as desired in Tennessee will
place us under such control, and with 1t will
certainly come high taxation, spies and
detectives, perjury bitter discords, aad many
other evils, as has ever been the case In
other prohibition states, whose people, or
many of them, are now sadly repenting their
folly. Yours Truly, q. II. 8.
st. Bethlehem, Tenn.